Electrical warp stop-motion for looms



Patelited Mar. 2!, I899.

w. n. BAKER & r. E.'K|P. ELECTRICAL WARP STOP MOTION FOR LOOMS.

(Application flied Aug; 6, 1898.)

3 SheetsS-heet (No Model.)

, Q INVENTORS lfilg-w flwaw d w. 7 EATTORNEY M w w no. 621,594; PatQn't'ed Ma ZI, I899. w; u. BAKER-6.1. E; m. ELECTRICAL WARP STOP MOTIONFOR LOUIS! A umin filed Aug. 0, 1898. v

3 Sheets- 8M 2.

(No loul.

Patented Mar. 2|,- l899.

W. H BAKER 81. F. E. K-IP.

ELECTRICAL WARP STOP MOTION FOR LUOMS.

I (Application filed Aug. 6, 1898.) (No-Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

l nna INVENTORS ATTORNEY WlTNESSES:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM H. BAKER, OF CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, AND FREDERIO E. KIP,OF MON TCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO THE Kl P-ARMSTRONG COMPANY, OFNEW YORK.

ELECTRICAL WAR P STOP-MOTION FOR LOOMS.

SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,594, dated March21, 1899.

Application filed August 6, 1898.

T all whom it may concern.- I

Be it known that we, WILLIAM H. BAKER, residing at Central Falls,Providence county, Rhode Island, and FREDERIO E. KIP, residing atMontclair, Essex county, New Jersey, citizens of the United States, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical WarpStop-Motions for Looms, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to the class of devices employed on looms toeffect the stopping of a loom when a warp-thread breaks; and the objeotof the invention is in part to provide the stop-motion with an improvedterminal drop I 5 adapted to overcome several difficulties encounteredin the practical adaptation of such drops to a loom and in part also toovercome a difficulty arising from the breaking of the circuit at thefallen drop by the vibration of the loom before the shipping-lever canbe freed.

' By the present invention the instant the drop falls and closes themain circuit an electromagnet or solenoid is energized and acts to shuntout the drop and maintain the circuit 2 5 closed until the going part ofthe loom can act to free the shipper-lever.

Another feature of the invention is the utilization of the weft-forkcarrier and wefthammer to actuate the knock-off lever, as

0 Well'when a warp-thread breaks as when a weft-thread breaks or fails.

Another feature of the invention provides against interference with thetake-up mechanism when a warp-thread breaks, thereby 3 5 avoiding alet-off and a defective mark in the 5 Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, andFig. 3 is a front end elevation as seen from the arrow 3 in Fig. 2.These views are on a comparatively small scale. Figs. 4:, 5, and 6illustrate the weft-fork carrier F and its appurtenances on a largerscale than the principal views. Fig.

Serial No.68'7,943. (No model.)

4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on line ac in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is aplan, and Fig. 6 is an end view from the left in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is adiagrammatical view showing the main and shunt circuits and theconstruction of the solenoid. Fig. 8 is a plan view of theknock-offlever and its appurtenances on a larger scale than theprincipal views, and Fig. 8 is a cross-. section at 00 in Fig. 8.

W represents the warp-beam of a loom; w, the warp-threads; r, thelease-rods; 1-1, the heddles; O, the cloth-beam, and h the wefthamme r.These are common to all looms. Some of the other features of the loomherein shown are also common in looms; but these will be referred to inthe description which follows.

1 is a terminal drop adapted, normally, to be supported on a warp-threadw. These drops are arranged in one or more series (two series are hereinshown) andhave the leverlike form illustrated in Fig. 1. The drops ofeach series are fulcrumed on a rod 2,- connected with one pole of agenerator 3,whereby all of the drops thereon become terminals. Thefulcrum-rod extends across the loom above the warp. Each-drop has in itsheada slot 1 to receive the warp-thread on which the drop is supportedand has a short arml back of the fulcrum-point to make contact when thedrop falls with the under side of the other terminal 2 of the electriccircuit. This terminal 2 may be a simple metal rod, extending across theloom, as shown, in the proper position to be put in contact with theshorter arml of the drop, asindicated in Fig. 1, where one of the dropsis represented as having fallen. The advantage of this form of drop isthat its longer arm or head must descend to a considerable extent beforethe contact is made with the terminal 2 ,whereby a good degree ofslackness in a warp-thread from flying upward and so becoming disengagedfrom their respective warp-threads, a light readily-removable strip 1extends across over their heads, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This stripmay be plain or be corrugated lengthwise to make it stiff as well aslight.

\Vhen a drop 1 falls, it closes an electric circuit, and this circuit,by exciting an electromagnet, causes the armature thereof to put anobstacle in the path of the vibrating wefthammer h, thereby causing thelatter to stop the loom through the medium of the same mechanism as thatwhich stops the loom when a weft-thread breaks or fails.

Referring to the left in Figs. 1 and 2 and to the detail views, Figs. 3,4, 5, and S, K represents the knock-ofi lever, pivotally mounted on abracket B on the loom at the end of the breast-beam, and S is theshipper-lever, which is normally engaged and held by a retaining-notch nin the bracket B, the said lever S being actuated by a spring whenreleased and adapted to play along a slot in the bracket B. -Theknock-off lever simply pushes the shipper-lever free from the shoulderat the notch. The nioving end of the knock-off lever engages a keeper inthe weftfork carrier F, which carries the weft-fork f, and said carrier,mounted in guides on the bracket B, is adapted to move in a plane atright angles to the plane in which the shipperlever S plays. Normallywhen aweft-thread is shot the hook f on the rear end of the weftfork israised out of the path of the wefthammer h; but if a weft-thread failsfrom any cause the hook on the rear end of the weft-fork descends intothe path of the wefthammer, and on the next stroke of this hammer itengages said hook and drives back the weft-fork carrier F, thusactuating the knockoff lever K and through it freeing the shipperleverS; At the same time the lever K is moved out from under a shoulder L onthe under side of the handle L (see Fig. 8) of a brake-lever, and thisallows the brake to be set automatically on a wheel of the loom, so asto overcome momentum of the parts and arrest the motion of the loompromptly. Also at the same time the knock-off lever K strikes thetake-up lever T and releases the catches in the take-up gears, so thatthe web may slack or run back. All of this mechanism is common to loomsas at present used and is described here merely because of its closerelation to the novel features of the present application. These latterwill now be described.

On the weft-fork carrier F is mounted an electromagnet 4 in circuit withthe generator 3 and the drops 1. (See Figs. 4, 5, and 6.) The carrier Fis slotted to receive the weftfork, and the shank of the latter, bearingthe hook f, may descend in this slot into the path of the head of theweft-hammer 7t. On the carrier F and in this slot is mounted a bentspring 5, the upturned end of which carries the armature 6 of theelectromagnet 4 above the protruding cores't of the magnet. Vhere theupright branch of the spring 5 joins the main portion thereof is anangle or shoulder 5, which when the armature of the magnet is attractedand drawn down is depressed into the path of the head of the wefthammerit, so that in the forward or operative movement of the latter it willstrike said shoulder 5, push the carrier F forward, and, acting on theknock-off lever K, release the shipper-lever S and stop the loom. willbe seen that the weft-hammer may act on either the hook on the weft-forkor the shoulder on the spring 5, whichever may be depressed into itspath, and the loom will be stopped in either case; but, as beforestated, when the knock-off lever K is shifted by the breaking of aweft-thread the take-up lever T is actuated. Now when a warp-threadbreaks it is not desirable that the said takeup lever shall be operated,and to prevent this the device now to be described is employed.

I11 the knock-off lever K is formed a recess 7, Figs. 7 and S, at thepoint where this lever is designed to impinge upon the take-up lever T,so that if this notch or recess be left open the lever T will enter saidrecess and not be pressed back by the knock-off lever, and this is thedesired condition when a warp-thread breaks; Therefore in order thatsaid recess 7 may be left open or be closed, as desired, the followingoperating devices are employed:

On the knock-off lever is mounted a solenoid or electromagnet 8, thecore 8 of which is attached to a sliding piece 9 of any kind adapted tocover the recess 7 normally to an extent suflicient to prevent the leverT from entering thereat, but capable of being displaced when a currentis sent through the coil of the bobbin of the solenoid or magnet, thiscoil being in the circuit with the electromagnet 4 and the drops 1.Consequently when a warp-thread breaks and a drop falls the coil of thesolenoid 8 is excited, its core 8 is drawn in, and the obstructing slideor piece 9 displaced. A solenoid is employed in lieu of an ordinaryelectromagnet merely because a little more movement of its core can beconveniently obtained than with the armature of a magnet; but this isnot material to the invention. An electromagnetof the usual kind may beemployed as well.

It is found in these warp stop-motions that when a drop falls and closesthe circuit and a little time-must then elapse before the going part ofthe loo1n-in this case the wefthammer h-can act to release theshipper-leverS the jarring and vibration of the loom may again break thecircuit at the drop, thus allowing the loom to run on, at least forseveral picks. To obviate this defect and when the circuit shall havebeen once closed to maintain it closed until the loom is stopped, thepresent invention provides a shunt-circuit which shunts out the drops,and this Thus it shunt-circuit is closed by electromagnetic force,preferably at the solenoid 8 for convenience. This device is illustratedin the diagrammatic view Fig. 7, illustrating the preferred arrangementof the main and shunt circuits and the circuit-closer at the solenoid.In this View the main circuit consists of a conductor 10 leading fromone pole of the generator 3 to the drops 1, and aconductor to, leadingfrom the other pole of the generator to and through the coil of thesolenoid 8, thence to and through the coils of the magnet 4, and thenceto the contact-terminal 2 Consequently when a drop falls and connectselectrically the arm 1 of the lever-drop and the terminal 2 the magnets4 and 8 will be excited; but when the core 8 of the magnet or solenoid 8is drawn in it will strike a pushpin 10, which will thus be caused toclose a shunt-circuit 'by pressing one terminal 11 of said circuit intocontact with the other terminal 11 of said circuit. The shunt-circuit,as here shown, comprises a conductor w,leading from one binding-post 4of the magnet 4 to a binding-post at the terminal 11 and from abinding-post at the other terminal 11 to one pole of generator 3. Thuswhen this shunt-circuit is closed the drops 1 are cut out, but thegenerator and the two magnets remain in the circuit, which will remainclosed until broken by the movement of the weft fork carrier F. There isa coil-spring S" behind the core in the solenoid to return the core andthe sliding piece 9 to their normal positions when the circuit isbroken.

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 illustrate the means for breaking the circuit when thecarrier F is pushed forward by the knock-01f lever K. One oftheconductors (as w leading to the electroinagnet 4 terminates in a fiatcontact plate or blade 12, mounted on-a post 13 on the bracket B or onsome fixed'part, said terminal plate bein insulated from the bracket. Onthe carrier F are mounted two contactplates 14, forming terminals of oneend of the magnet-coil. Normally when the loom is running the plate orblade 12 is in position between the plates 14 and the contact isperfected; but when the carrier F is displaced by the weft-hammer thecircuit is broken by the movement of the two plates 14 out of contactwith the blade 12. It is immaterial, of course, what sort ofcircuit-breaker is employed at this point; but that shown is of anapproved form orkind and provides a rubbing contact.

On looms having a warp stop-motion and the accompanying knock-off leverand ship per-lever a brake is employed which is normally held off by theknock-01f lever taking under an overhanging handle on the brakelever,and when the knock-off lever is displaced this displacement allows thebrake-to be set so as to check the momentum of the rotative parts of theloom. In the drawings, L represents the overhanging head or handle ofthe brake-lever. When the shipper-lever S is moved to itsretaining-notch for setting the loom in motion, it finds this head L inits path (the brake being set) and carries it back with it, so astorelease the brake, and when the lever S shifts in stopping the loom thebrake-lever follows it up and sets the brake; but at times it isdesirable that the loom be run backward by the weaver, and to do thisconveniently he must take off the brake.

Therefore he grasps the handle L of the brakelever and draws it back. Asit swings in a curve, the head is highest when the brake is off. Inorder to hold it off, this invention provides aswing-arm 15, pivetallymounted on the bracket B and its free end 15 adapted to be pushed inunder the handle L to prevent its moving into the braking position. Onits inner edge, adjacent to the knock-off lever K, the swing-arm 15 hasa beveled or cam surface 15 which is impinged upon by the lever S inmoving this lever into position to set the loom in motion in such amanner that said lever throws the arm 15 outward and from under thehandle L of the brake.

In Fig. 4 is shown a pin 16 across the slot in the weft-fork carrier Fand a shoulder or projection 5 on the spring 5 to engage said pin whenthe shoulder 5 on the spring is in operative position, as shown inthisfigure,

so as to providean abutment for pushing back thecarrier. This pin andshoulder are not, however, essentials.

Figs. 8 and 8 show the parts in the position they occupy when the loomhas been stopped by thebreaking of a warp-thread and when the weaver hasdrawn back the handle L of the brake and pushed the end 15 of the arm 15under it. It may be said here that when the loom is running and thebrake of course ofi the knock-off lever K (see Fig. 8) will take underthe shoulder LX below the handle L, and thus hold the latter againstmovement.

The arm 15 is shown as notched'or recessed to provide room for thetake-up lever T, but this is only because it is convenient to place thisarm in such a position that it must be cut away to allow the take-uplever to project above it. Any form of slide 9 may be employed so longas it will in one position bar the entry of the take-up lever to thereces's or notch 7.

Preferably each lever-like drop 1 will have in it a circular hole orclosed opening, whereby it is mounted or fulcrumed on the rod 2, but itmay be advisable to have open inclined slots in them to take over saidrod, so that they can be the more readily lifted off. Such an openoblique slot is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Having thus described our invention, we claim- 1. In an electricalstop-motion forlooms, the

movable strip 1", supported on and carried by the longer arms of saiddrops, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In an electrical warp stop-motion for looms, the combination with amain electric circuit including a generator and drops adapted to closesaid circuit when a warpthread breaks and a drop falls, means controlledby a magnet for stopping the loom, the said magnet, the coil of which isin said main circuit, a shunt-circuit which cuts out the drops, and anelectromagnetic device in both the main and shunt circuits adapted, whena drop closes the main circuit, to close said shunt-circuit,substantially as set forth.

3. In an electrical warp stop-motion for looms, the combination with amain electric circuit, including a generator, circuit-closing dropssupported on the warp-threads, and magneto-mechanical means controlledby said circuit for stopping the loom, of a shunt-circuit which cuts outthe drop, and electromagnetic means, controlled by said main circuitwhich closes said shunt-circuit whenever the drop closes the maincircuit, substantially as set forth.

4. An electrical warp stop-motion forlooms having a series of dropssupported on the warp-threads and adapted to close an electric circuit,when a warpthread breaks, and having electrically-actuated means,energized by the closing of said circuit by the drop, which shunt outthe drop when the circuit is closed, substantially as set forth.

5. In an electrical stop-motion for looms, the combination with a warpstop-motion, comprising an electric circuit, a generator in saidcircuit, means for closing a break in said circuit when a warp-threadbreaks, and electromagnetic means controlled by said circuit whichcauses a going part of the loom to actuate the knock-0E lever and thusfree the shipper-lever, the said going part, the shipperlever, theknock-0ft lever having in it a recess 7, opposite to the take-up lever Tand the said take-up lever, of an electromagnetic mechanism, controlledby said circuit, and a slide controlled bysaid electromagnetic means andnormally covering said recess 7, and actuated to uncover said recesswhen said circuit is closed, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

6. In an electrical stop-motion for looms, the combination with anelectric circuit including a generator, means for closinga normally openbreak in said circuit when a warpthread breaks, the shipper-lever S, theknockoif lever K, adapted to release the shipperlever, the weft-hammerh, the weft-fork carrier F, connected with the knock-01f lever, anelectromagnet 4t, mounted on said carrier and in said circuit, itsarmature, means substantially as described, actuated by said armaturefor interposition in the path of the vibrating weft-hammer when saidmagnet is excited, whereby the weft-ham meractuates the carrier F when awarp-thread breaks, and a circuitbreaking switch actuated by themovement of said carrier to break the circuit, substantially as setforth.

7. In a stop-motion for a loom, the combination with an electric circuitincluding a generator and means for closing a normally open break insaid circuit when a warp -thrcad breaks, of the weft-fork carrier F, thewefthamrner h, the electromagnet 4 in the said circuit, its armature 6,mounted on the spring 5, and the said spring, provided with a shoulder 5for the weft-hammer to impinge upon when the armature is attracted,substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof we have hereunto signed our names in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. BAKER. FREDERIO E. KIP.

lVitnesses:

PETER J. QUINN, JOHN N. BUTMAN.

